Is This a Banjo I See Before Me?: A Review of the Fringe Show Macbeth: Blood and Bluegrass

Being deep in a Western phase and fascinated with American culture, the poster for Macbeth: Blood and Bluegrass was difficult for me to ignore, earning it the distinction of being the first Fringe show I decided to watch. Bracing ourselves, my fellow literature student and I rocked up to Surgeon’s Hall.

We were guided into our seats, which offered a restricted view of the stage. However, one of the cast started chatting with us and said we could sit on the railings. This proved to be a bad idea if you're clumsy enough to knock over a bunch of chairs hidden behind a curtain right before the show starts.

As someone who enjoys bad media, whether for being able to pick it apart or just have a laugh, I went in with an expectation to have fun regardless of the quality of the performance. However, I did think that based on the integration of such a deeply cultural and emotive type of music with a Shakespearean tragedy, I anticipated some passion and thoughtfulness behind the work. Lucky for me I was able to talk to the director Laura Irish, who coincidentally had been the one who gave us a great view on the railing, at the end of the show and pick her brain about the choices made in the performance.

The most obvious thing to comment on is the inclusion of the music in the play. There were multiple instruments being played by the cast including an acoustic guitar, a banjo and a percussion drum. Throughout the play, during the most tumultuous times for the characters, they would perform a song. Each one was aptly chosen for the moment, either tender and heartbreaking, or powerful and transformative.

There were some recognisable songs from Hozier and Noah Kahan that I picked up on, and admittedly it took me out of the performance when they were sung. However, that is more of a matter of personal preference rather than a direct critique. My first question for Irish was why she had chosen to add specifically bluegrass music to Macbeth, to which she gave the intriguing answer that the genre shares many of the same themes as Shakespeare. These include betrayal, the supernatural, revenge and redemption. She then referred me to the folk band Mumford and Sons who had in fact included quotations and allusions to Shakespeare within their songs, strengthening that tie between folk music and our long-dead playwright.

As a huge fan of the movie Sinners which tied together blues music and the African-American experience, my favourite part of the movie was how the music was shown to be a conduit for the pain when it became too much to bear, whilst also being a space for a shared sense of community and resilience. The heart put into this play was clear, with ballads that permeated the characters anguish, joys and anger, giving a satisfying emotional catharsis to each moment.

A great strength of the play was the humour. While the production made use of the already humorously written scenes such as the porter sequence, they added their own modern wit that had the crowd chuckling before all the death and destruction (spoiler alert).

My particular favourite purveyor of comedic relief was Queen Duncan, played by Gabby Anderson. When I was gearing up to interview Irish I asked my friend Izzy if she had any good questions and hers was about how they managed to balance the light-heartedness from the humour and the heavier themes of the play.

Irish gave me another great answer, describing the necessity of the change in tone to create impact in the self-destruction of the characters. She likened the arc to Romeo and Juliet, where things start off great. Macbeth begins with a victory in battle, and what should be continued celebration turns very sour through murder, corruption and guilt. If it were not for the character deterioration and festering darkness that slowly takes over, it wouldn't be the Shakespearean tragedy that resonates with us four centuries later.

This arc of tragedy is also displayed in the relationship between Macbeth, and in this gender reversed version, her husband. They are so connected at the start, but the destruction of their marriage only adds to the losses and ultimately the play's warnings about ambition and corruption.

The gender role reversal was also something I asked about, and Irish started describing how she wasn't always a big fan of them, which I quickly agreed to. When it becomes central to the plot it can become almost a nuisance. However, her mindset in this play was to cast whoever was most fit for the role, which I found an admirable way to go about it.

She also said it created an interesting edge to the dynamic of Macbeth and Lady (in this case Lord) Macbeth, as it made it ‘ickier’. There was something particularly sinister about seeing a man conjure spirits and perform such a masterful manipulation. Although it took away the punch of ‘unsex me here’ for a performance already full of so many twists, it was certainly interesting to watch.

My last question to her was about the intention behind the costuming. Many characters donned western hats and garments, but what was particularly notable was the more subtle details that were rife with symbolism.

Irish revealed to me that every time Macbeth killed someone, a new piece would be added, such as a leather bracelet. This creates the feeling that Macbeth is carrying more guilt and blood on his hands as the play progresses.

The choices and details that Irish and the rest of the cast made created a wonderfully entertaining yet profound version of Macbeth. Although the Fringe is absolutely brimming with Shakespeare adaptations, some more questionable than others, Macbeth: Blood and Bluegrass is definitely worth checking out, and if you're lucky you can also have a chat with the director and cast to get answers to your own burning questions. Just don't sit on any railings.

Written by Rebecca Clucas.

Edited by Abby Johnston-Jones.